Test of Blue-Cast: compatible and castable resin

#84

Well, adhesion is limited and we know that, we have many options to improve metal adhesion working on formulation, but now we don’t want to sacrify castability and we suggest using primers like UV glue (UV loca, used for broken phone glasses) or simply using Formlabs castable as primer, few drops rubbed on plate they solve.

About Formlabs profiling our resin or opening profiles, I don’t think they will. Resins are nice part of theyr business and is quite normal for them not to push other resins.

#85

Well. I think it is prooven, that this resin is for jewelers the much better solution. Formlabs allways says, they wanna give their users the best possible solutions available. If thats true and if they are interrested in a good business it should be clear which way they want to go! If they wanna make the Form2 a bigger number especially in the jewelry business, they have to find a better solution, cause DWS in with their resins far, far ahed. Especially with their patented build platform. I think formlabs cant make this grid platform, cause then DWS would bring them to court, but i have though aproximately a 100 times to build sutch a platform by myself. There must be a talented craftsman who could build and test this. I am sure that sutch a platform would make all adhesive problems that formlabs has obsolete.

#86

Adhesion test

we have just executed an adhesion test with form 2 and BlueCast.
Platform Area: completely full. Items printed 35.
We know that Formlabs printers are the best the market has to offer related to quality and value.
We know that our resin is developed to exalt the quality of Formlabs printers.

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Of course: some care is needed

  • use bigger base into 3D model and adeguate supports
  • check Z offset and if necessary let the platform push more on PDMS (-0.2, –0.3 …)
  • sometime use sand paper (200 400 grain) to abrade alu plate to promote adhesion
  • use corners of table instead central position

More photos on

We are at disposal of our formlabs users friends to improve their experience with form 3dp

#87

What profile do you guys use with the form 2? Castable V2 or grey V2 or 3?

#88

Castable V2 works on most machines, if you experience overshooting, move to Grey V2 or V3. There is a small mW optical power difference from machine to machine, it’s quite normal, so according your specific machine you have to findout your best profile.

#89

Mechanical grip will fix, but as you told, it’s a DWS patent. Actually we plan to delivery resins will small primer aside to help customers with adhesion issues.
By the way, about DWS, we are friends of the CEO Maurizio, he kindly asked us not offer our resin to his customers. Reason is, as stated before, the importance of resin business for the company. As you see Formlabs never entered into this thread not because “against” us but because they just “barely tolerate” 3rd parties resins. If theyr target was to open machine to resin developers, be sure that heating and wiper will be available in open mode such ase profiling capability.

Now you can imagine how time and money investment is for us to work on resins without accessing any parameters and missing some utlities like wiper, example, that is very useful to remix resin and prevent gelificiation near laser working area due to flares…

But we love or job, passion is stronger than limits.

#90

Form 1+
I have to express their comments on the bluecast.
I like the lack of UV exposure. For me to gain three days, the cast large models.
Adhesion resin is a problem, but recently I read that just coat the platform formlbs castable resin. It works, but before there was this information that 50% fell from the platform - a waste of money.
And most importantly - the manual is written that the resin does not shrink during the print. But not written that after printing and washing in isopropyl shrink about 5% within 24 hours !!!. And if ??? 48 or more.
I do not understand that such important information was not communicated to the message.
After all, it is a resin for jewelry, and in this case, the dimensions are very important.
I bought 1 kg of resin BlueCast, I have one good print, I have 0.2 kg.
I’m not a tester.
If you are offered goods that expect reliable information.
Now I make prints increased by 5%. Tomorrow I’ll take it from the platform and the day after tomorrow execute cast.
Will this be the last purchase blueCast ???.
Regards.
Marek
ps. Sorry Google translator.

#91

Hi Marek,

thank you for your comment, we will improve our instructions.

Some considerations are to be done, anyway:

  • Shrinkage depends on many factors, jewel design (on filigree you can expect more shrinkage than on chevalier), time you leave model into alchool, thermal conditions (environment temperature affect shrinkage) and machine type (form1+ and form2 on same profile they have different curing strategies)

  • is very difficult to have a universal printing and casting guide, because every single user is a case and we try as possible to help customers into that, we spend lot of time in whatsapp/messenger/mail supporting customers when they ask help, if you experience problems, just ask help

  • you are right about giving more detailed info with resin, we will implement your suggestion and we will offer you a discount on next order to demonstrate our appreciation, if you plan to order other resin.

#92

Marek -

i really dont wanna offend you and i am too not a tester - i payed the full price. I can show here the pdf if you want!

What do you have here? A high tech resin that works perfect for casting. Simple THE resin that we jewellers allways waited for. You can in a standard plasticast, not dental so not expensive investment, make direct burnouts, save money with current for the oven, save time and so on. And last but not least you have guys that spent hours and hours in a LIVE chat with you to get perfect results…with tipps that a pro caster company would charge you much much money from you when they reach you tipps like that!

Sorry Mister. When you are a goldsmith and your only problem is shrinkage with a a resin, or lets say the information that there could be shrinkage and perfect resin with a perfect support is less worth than your shrinkage - then maybe you should think about everything - just my 2 cents and again - really…no offense. Just my opinion!

Have a nice day everybody - Chris!

PS - 3 casts so far, 3 times success. In one week. All together under 12 hours what before took ONE cast! Count together when you really save!

#93

Thanks MAREK. I was just about to order bluecast but shrinkage, especially variable shrinkage, is intolerable for jewelry casting. Simply can’t have it. No amount of convenience in the workflow or super service can mitigate this. FL Castable V2 may have a more difficult workflow but I can count on predictable results; which is all that matters.
I’ll wait to see what develops with this material.

#94

Hello,
tests finished negatively.
I can not control the contraction of resin BlueCast.
I’m going back to the resin Formlabs castable v1.
For me about BlueCast resin is completed.
Regards.

#95

Shrinkage depends also and greatly by how long you leave model into alchool, we suggest a quick bath and dry with air repeated 3 times and no postcure. Also we suggest ethilic alcool and not IPA, if you want you can give a try with 80% alcool used as cleaner. Can you please post pictures to see model geometry?

#96

Thanks again Marek. Sorry you had to be the one to discover the downside. As for the suggestion to use Ethanol; not practical unless you happen to be a moonshiner.

#97

You can find it everywhere, from Walmart to Homedepot…

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-Strip-1-qt-Green-Denatured-Alcohol-QKGA75003/202249513

#98

Hello,
I can not show pictures registered design by my client.
I can say that this is the openwork ball 50 mm.
I might go back to the resin, I think not before a month.
Thank you for additional advice, I will apply them.
However, I am skeptical.
Maybe contraction also occurs during printing and therefore are falling from the platform.
Important is also the time of print for casting, whether and how much resin to shrink.
Not the cast every day, I use 12h firing cycle and I combine prints with wax models of production.
Cast V1, after a thorough treatment of uv, it works perfectly, BlueCast too.
I have resin on two attempts, so free time they execute.
Thank you all for your support.
Marek

#99

As I understood you postcured BlueCast Resin?
We always suggest to avoid postcuring, because both UV and heat inside oven will shrink delicate patterns like filigree.

Adhesion issues are not due to shrinking during print, but are due to the high content of polymers that help sublimation and burnout.

in order to avoid unpredictable shrinkage:

  • do quick baths into alchool and dry with air asap
  • avoid exposing models to heat/uv
  • prepare cylinder asap

Worst to do is to leave models submerged for minutes into alchool, it will solve polymers inside resin matrix and take place of them, when it evaporates you get a pattern contraction…

Feel free to contact me for support about those issues, also in private.

#100

No postcured BlueCast resin.
I wrote that BlueCast very well cast.
" prepare cylinder asap" However, you need rapid cast.
Thank you for the advice.
Regards

#101

Casted Today!

Start to finish 3 1/2 hours. Metall Thickness 0,27mm. Shrinkage 0. Direct from the printer to the flask! Only difference, i use WAXIT from DeguDent since my last castings, no more Teflon spray, and the details are INCREDIBLE! Much better than with teflon! Or i bought the wrong teflon spray, can also be. But i am pretty happy for now, that with WAXIT, the castings come out so perfectly!

Rest is same procedure like i described last time!

The metal is absolutely perfect. No porosity, it is ideal to smith and bend. Cast, polish, done! A dream!

Trump mode on: all i can say is i love that resin. I really do. It is the best resin i ever had. It really is. - Trump mode off!

maybe i sound like a fanboy, but i waited extremely long for sucth a workflow. A “cheap” investment(not dental), a good resin, a good printer.

Finally it works FAST and reasonybly priced. Don´t let some guys who are not THAT satisfied ruine that huge step forward in rapid prototyping!

Hope for you Marek youll find your workflow soon too, then youll love it!

have a nice evening - Chris!

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#102

Hi! Hello everyone！
I am a beginner. I use the form2 3D printer. The material is Castable V2 (FLCABL02), the print layer thickness is the highest resolution 0.025mm. (model printing is perfect)

After printing with 90% alcohol cleaning, and the use of household UV light irradiation for 8 hours. The overall impression of the model surface is not very dry. Is this normal?

In the picture, I asked the foundry to cast the product, 925 silver casting, strictly according to the official website of the combustion curve heating. Gypsum mold powder is serious, casting surface looks very rough.
I want to know where the problem is.<img

#103

Illyy118 is this the BlueCast Resin? This looks a lot for me that your oven was not hot enough and you did not get out the whole resin. If it was bluecast contact their support, they will guide you through the investment and casting process. Seems like oyu have a lot of errors in your whole casting prozess. Beginning with UV Cure!
Bluecast shall NOT be uv cured and also doesnt need a special burnout curve. But you need knowledge of casting, flask temp, material temp and so on and especially you need to know your tools. How accurate your temps are, how clean your water and flasks are, how good your mixing is, what investment you use and especially how you mix it and prepare your models before you put the mixed investment into the flask itself!

And if this is not made with bluecast, well you should definetly try it!

Chris!